Dysphagia Post-Extubation Affects Long-Term Mortality in Mixed Adult ICU Patients—Data From a Large Prospective Observational Study With Systematic Dysphagia Screening

• Published in: Critical care explorations 2022-06, Vol.4 (6), p.e0714-e0714
• Main Authors: Zuercher, Patrick, Moser, Michel, Waskowski, Jan, Pfortmueller, Carmen A., Schefold, Joerg C.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Original Clinical Report
• ISSN: 2639-8028; 2639-8028
• DOI: 10.1097/CCE.0000000000000714

Data on long-term effects of post-extubation dysphagia is lacking. We investigate mid- and long-term clinical outcomes in a large sample of ICU patients with systematic dysphagia screening. DESIGNOutcome analysis with a follow-up of 6 years or death (whichever occurred earlier) of ICU patients from a prospective observational trial (Dysphagia in Mechanically Ventilated ICU Patients study) with systematic dysphagia screening. SETTINGICU of a tertiary care academic center. PATIENTSNine-hundred thirty-three mixed medical-surgical ICU patients (median age, 66 yr; interquartile range [IQR], 54-74, Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation II score 19 [IQR, 14-24], 71% male). INTERVENTIONSICU patients were followed up for a mean follow-up period of 1,731 ± 772 days (4.7 ± 2.1 yr). Primary outcome measures were 180-day and 360-day all-cause mortality in ICU patients with versus without dysphagia. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTSTwo-hundred seventy-three patients died (29.3%) during the observational interval (n = 76 lost to follow-up). In dysphagia screening positive versus negative ICU patients, mortality at 180 days was 16% versus 5.8% (excess mortality 10.2%), whereas mortality at 360 days was 25% versus 9.1% (excess mortality 15.9%). Adjustment for confounders in a Cox model revealed a significant association of dysphagia with all-cause mortality in a time-dependent manner. The risk of death in ICU patients with versus without post-extubation dysphagia declined from about 2.5 times higher to about equal risk for both groups over the first year (i.e. 1.03 yr) post-ICU admission (at 360 d: hazard ratio [HR], 1.03; 95% CI, 0.42-3.70). The mean mortality HR for the first year post-ICU admission was HR 2.09 (95% CI, 1.34-3.24; p = 0.0009). CONCLUSIONSLong-term follow-up of a large cohort of medical-surgical adult ICU patients systematically screened for dysphagia showed that dysphagia is associated with increased hazards for death for up to 1 year after ICU admission. Our data underline effects of post-extubation dysphagia on long-term clinical outcomes in affected critically ill patients.